Liquid impervious apparatus for wallboard

ABSTRACT

The invention teaches a liquid impervious apparatuses for wallboard construction and methods of using the same. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract that will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims.

RELATED APPLICATION

The invention is related to and claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/484,825 to Ruston, filed on 7 Jul. 2003.

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates generally to construction, and more particularly to construction that uses wallboards.

PROBLEM STATEMENT

Interpretation Considerations

This section describes the technical field in more detail, and discusses problems encountered in the technical field. This section does not describe prior art as defined for purposes of anticipation or obviousness under 35 U.S.C. section 102 or 35 U.S.C. section 103. Thus, nothing stated in the Problem Statement is to be construed as prior art.

Discussion

Wallboard, such as drywall, redefined construction in the 20^(th) century by substantially lowering the cost and complexity of residential and commercial construction. However, problems associated with moisture absorption in wallboard are legion and well reported. For example, moisture or liquid can seep into a wallboard, which acts like a sponge, and destroy the structural integrity of the wallboard—causing wallboard to fall away from the wall frame, door frames to fall apart, and wall attachments to fall off the wall. In addition, left unchecked, spores in contact with moisture in wallboard can lead to various fungal and mold damages, including black mold. Accordingly, there is a need for an apparatus that allows a user to experience the benefits of drywall construction while limiting the susceptibility of drywall to moisture and liquid damage.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Various aspects of the invention, as well as an embodiment, are better understood by reference to the following detailed description. To better understand the invention, the detailed description should be read in conjunction with the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a front view of existing wallboard;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 3 a side-view of one embodiment of the invention.

EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT OF A BEST MODE

Interpretation Considerations

When reading this section (An Exemplary Embodiment of a Best Mode, which describes an exemplary embodiment of the best mode of the invention, hereinafter “exemplary embodiment”), one should keep in mind several points. First, the following exemplary embodiment is what the inventor believes to be the best mode for practicing the invention at the time this patent was filed. Thus, since one of ordinary skill in the art may recognize from the following exemplary embodiment that substantially equivalent structures or substantially equivalent acts may be used to achieve the same results in exactly the same way, or to achieve the same results in a not dissimilar way, the following exemplary embodiment should not be interpreted as limiting the invention to one embodiment.

Likewise, individual aspects (sometimes called species) of the invention are provided as examples, and, accordingly, one of ordinary skill in the art may recognize from a following exemplary structure (or a following exemplary act) that a substantially equivalent structure or substantially equivalent act may be used to either achieve the same results in substantially the same way, or to achieve the same results in a not dissimilar way.

Accordingly, the discussion of a species (or a specific item) invokes the genus (the class of items) to which that species belongs as well as related species in that genus. Likewise, the recitation of a genus invokes the species known in the art. Furthermore, it is recognized that as technology develops, a number of additional alternatives to achieve an aspect of the invention may arise. Such advances are hereby incorporated within their respective genus, and should be recognized as being functionally equivalent or structurally equivalent to the aspect shown or described.

Second, the only essential aspects of the invention are identified by the claims. Thus, aspects of the invention, including elements, acts, functions, and relationships (shown or described) should not be interpreted as being essential unless they are explicitly described and identified as being essential. Third, a function or an act should be interpreted as incorporating all modes of doing that function or act, unless otherwise explicitly stated (for example, one recognizes that “tacking” may be done by nailing, stapling, gluing, hot gunning, riveting, etc., and so a use of the word tacking invokes stapling, gluing, etc., and all other modes of that word and similar words, such as “attaching”).

Fourth, unless explicitly stated otherwise, conjunctive words (such as “or”, “and”, “including”, or “comprising” for example) should be interpreted in the inclusive, not the exclusive, sense. Fifth, the words “means” and “step” are provided to facilitate the reader's understanding of the invention and do not mean “means” or “step” as defined in §112, paragraph 6 of 35 U.S.C., unless used as “means for -functioning-” or “step for -functioning-” in the Claims section. Sixth, the invention is also described in view of the Festo decisions, and, in that regard, the claims and the invention incorporate equivalents known, foreseeable, and unforeseeable. Seventh, the language and each word used in the invention should be given the ordinary interpretation of the language and the word, unless indicated otherwise.

Of course, the foregoing discussions and definitions are provided for clarification purposes and are not limiting. Words and phrases are to be given their ordinary plain meaning unless indicated otherwise.

Description of the Drawings

Wallboard, including drywall, has been used for years to facilitate the construction of homes and commercial buildings. Although developed only about fifty years ago, today, most gypsum rock used in this country goes into making drywall wallboard for homes. FIG. 1 is a simplified representation of a drywall wallboard 100. Drywall boards are generally formed by sandwiching a core 110 typically comprising wet plaster between two sheets of heavy paper 112 and 114. When the core 110 sets and dries, the “sandwich” becomes the rigid building material most persons are familiar with. As known in the building industry, each edge of a wallboard is generally classified as either a beveled factory edge 120 or a generally flat cut edge 130. When installing wallboard, it is desired to line-up like-edges next to each other (i.e. two factory edges abut each other or two cut edges abut each other) to make “mudding and taping” the boards easier, and it is preferred to line up as many factory edges together as possible. Additionally, in construction, boards are typically laid from the ceiling to the floor, maximizing the number of factory edges that are placed together to facilitate mudding and taping. This means that the lower edge of a drywall wall will typically be a cut edge, thus exposing a moisture vulnerable (and difficult to work with) edge to the floor—the place from which moisture is most likely to originate. Although the following discussion is directed primarily to drywall wallboard, it should be understood that is has broader applicability to wallboard based construction in general.

Features and advantages of the invention can be better understood by reference to the figures, wherein FIG. 2 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the invention 200. Shown in FIG. 2 are wall sections 214 separated by a void 226. A water impervious apparatus (comprising a moisture impervious barrier 212 and a spacing member 216 that is in one embodiment removable) is disposed on a lower edge 215 of the wall sections 214 and adapted to fit thereto to prevent the wall sections 214 from absorbing liquid, moisture, and/or vapors. The spacing member 216 elevates the moisture impervious barrier 212, and, ultimately, provides clearance above the foundation 218 for the entire wallboard 214. In one embodiment the spacing member 216 comprises a downward-extending vertical portion 219 that substantially provides spacing indication, and a horizontal member 217. The horizontal member 217 may support the moisture impervious barrier 212, and in alternative embodiments may actually function as, or be, or comprise the moisture impervious barrier 212. Thus, the wallboard is isolated from the foundation, both by distance, and by at least the moisture impervious barrier 212.

As is recognized by those of ordinary skill in the art, a base track 220 runs along the wall frame, between wallboards 214, and may also structurally form part of the wall frame. The base track 220, when incorporated with the present invention is liquid impervious. Thus, in FIG. 2 is also shown a base track clip 220 that preserves the water-impervious nature of the base track 220 by being secured into the base track with a water proof sealant at the seams defined by where separate base tracks join together.

FIG. 3 a side-view of one embodiment of the invention 300. From FIG. 3 additional features and advantages of the invention 300 are apparent to those of ordinary skill in the construction arts upon reading the specification. For example, a thin moisture impervious barrier 312 is provided between a wallboard 314 and a spacing member 316. The moisture impervious barrier 312 further comprises in FIG. 3 a substantially raised vertical member 319 to facilitate its placement upon the wallboard 314. The substantially raised vertical member 319 may comprise a shallow lip form, or may in alternative embodiments extend substantially up the wallboard 314 six inches, nine inches or twelve inches, or more.

In addition, it is seen that the spacing member 316 substantially comprises a conduit form. Of course, although a rectangular conduit is shown in FIG. 3, it is understood by those of skill in the art that a conduit may comprise nearly any shape that maintains a channel, and may also comprise holes or other passages within its wall(s). In addition, the invention 300 is shown slightly elevated from the foundation 340 to emphasize that the invention is not intended to be limited to the minimal spacing, but that a vertical portion 319 of the spacing member 316 merely guides one to a minimum desired spacing. In alternative embodiments, the conduit 330 may support the moisture impervious barrier 312, and in alternative embodiments may actually function as, or be, or comprise the moisture impervious barrier 312.

Thus shown, the invention is definable as a liquid impervious apparatus for wallboard that generally comprises a wallboard-coupling portion, the wallboard-coupling being generally planar and having a width approximately the width of a mate-matched wallboard (such as drywall), the wallboard-coupling portion being impervious to liquid, and the wallboard-coupling portion being adapted to couple to the mate-matched wallboard. In one embodiment, the mate-matched wallboard comprises a lower portion, and the wallboard-coupling portion couples to the lower portion of the mate-matched wallboard. In addition, an adhesive, or a water resistant sealant, such as caulk, may be provided between the lower portion of the mate-matched wallboard and the wallboard-coupling portion. And in a further preferred embodiment, the water resistant sealant is pre-placed upon the wallboard-coupling portion along with a non-stick strip coupled to the water resistant sealant such that the non-stick strip may be removed and the water resistant sealant exposed for coupling with the wallboard.

The wallboard-coupling portion is defined by functional structure and is not materials limited, and may comprise concrete, plastic, rubber, fiberglass, steel or other metals, or any other material known or unknown. In addition, the apparatus may additionally comprise a spacing member, such as a conduit, coupled to the wallboard-coupling portion such that the spacing member provides a minimum space between the drywall-coupling portion and a foundation. Further, the apparatus may also comprise a generally planar interior lip extending generally perpendicularly from the drywall-coupling portion such that the interior lip may be supported against an interior wall portion of the wallboard, and the wallboard-coupling portion is adapted to prevent the wallboard from being exposed to moisture.

Thus having described an embodiment of a liquid impervious apparatus for wallboard, one may direct their attention to a method for using the same. Accordingly, in one embodiment, the invention encompasses a method of altering wallboard to make construction less susceptible to moisture damage. The method generally includes sizing wallboard to attach to a wall frame such that a lower edge of the wallboard is no less than a predetermined distance from a foundation when the wallboard is attached to the frame. Similar to present practice, this typically comprises sizing the bottom-most wallboard section for each wall. However, the predetermined distance from the floor that is accounted for in the cut is at least sufficient to accommodate a liquid impervious apparatus. Accordingly, in one embodiment, the predetermined distance is between twelve inches and one-half inch, and depends on the height of the liquid impervious apparatus that is selected for a particular application, which may depend on the location of the board within a particular construction project (interior wall, exterior wall, plumbing wall, etc.), or which may depend on a geographic region of construction (the Southeast versus the Dessert Southwest). In one embodiment, the cut is made such that the drywall section edge terminates at least ½ inch above the foundation when attached to the wall (note that any gap between the drywall and the foundation is aesthetically covered by a baseboard at a later stage of construction). The cut should match the size of the liquid impervious apparatus, such that the liquid impervious apparatus may be attached to the wallboard with some space provided for clearance between the foundation and the liquid impervious apparatus.

Next, the liquid impervious apparatus is secured to the wallboard. The liquid impervious apparatus is secured to the lower edge of the wallboard such that the lower edge of the wallboard is resistant to absorbing moisture, in any of the manners that are readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the construction arts upon reading the present disclosure, and all presently unknown equivalents. Accordingly, in one embodiment, securing comprises placing a water resistant sealant, such as caulk, between the lower edge of the wallboard and the moisture impervious layer.

Similarly, in another embodiment, securing comprises placing an adhesive between the lower edge of the wallboard and the moisture impervious layer of the liquid impervious apparatus. Some may prefer that a “pre-placed” water resistant sealant (or adhesive) be provided upon the moisture impervious layer of the liquid impervious apparatus to create a “peel and place” application. Accordingly, in one embodiment, securing comprises removing a non-stick strip from a pre-placed water resistant sealant (or adhesive), and then attaching the liquid impervious apparatus to the lower edge of the wallboard at the moisture impervious layer.

Of course, it should be understood that the order of the acts discussed herein may be accomplished in different order depending on the preferences of those skilled in the art, and may be performed by persons, machines or computer-directed machines. Furthermore, though the invention has been described with respect to a specific preferred embodiment, many variations and modifications will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the present application. It is therefore the intention that the appended claims and their equivalents be interpreted as broadly as possible in view of the prior art to include all such variations and modifications. 

1. A liquid impervious apparatus for wallboard, comprising: a wallboard-coupling portion, the wallboard coupling being generally planar and having a width approximately the width of a mate-matched wallboard; the wallboard-coupling portion being impervious to liquid; and the wallboard-coupling portion being adapted to couple to the mate-matched wallboard.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the wallboard comprises drywall.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the mate-matched wallboard comprises a lower portion, and the wallboard-coupling portion couples to the lower portion of the mate-matched wallboard.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a water resistant sealant between the lower portion of the mate-matched wallboard and the wallboard-coupling portion.
 5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the water resistant sealant is caulk.
 6. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a water resistant sealant pre-placed upon the wallboard-coupling portion.
 7. The apparatus of claim 6 further comprising a non-stick strip coupled to the water resistant sealant such that the non-stick strip may be removed and the water resistant sealant exposed for coupling with the wallboard.
 8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the wallboard-coupling portion comprises concrete.
 9. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a spacing member coupled to the wallboard-coupling portion such that the spacing member provides a minimum space between the drywall-coupling portion and a foundation.
 10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the spacing member generally comprises a conduit.
 11. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a generally planar interior lip extending generally perpendicularly from the drywall-coupling portion such that the interior lip may be supported against an interior wall portion of the wallboard, and the wallboard-coupling portion is adapted to prevent the wallboard from being exposed to moisture.
 12. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an adhesive pre-placed upon the wallboard-coupling portion.
 13. A method of altering wallboard to make construction less susceptible to moisture damage, comprising: sizing wallboard to attach to a wall frame such that a lower edge of the wallboard is no less than one-half inch from a foundation when the wallboard is attached to the frame; and securing a liquid impervious apparatus to the lower edge of the wallboard such that the lower edge of the wallboard is resistant to absorbing moisture.
 14. The method of claim 13 wherein securing comprises placing a water resistant sealant between the lower edge of the wallboard and the moisture impervious layer.
 15. The method of claim 13 wherein securing comprises placing an adhesive between the lower edge of the wallboard and the moisture impervious layer.
 16. The method of claim 13 wherein securing comprises removing a non-stick strip from a pre-placed water resistant sealant, the pre-placed sealant coupled to the liquid impervious apparatus, and placing the water resistant sealant between the lower edge of the wallboard and the moisture impervious layer. 